the “cool kids” now might be side-stepped as others noticed the different insights or ideas presented by others. One student, frustrated with a peer stalling time and obvious unprepared, actually confronted him by asking, “Why do you take so much time to say so little?” Although I had not considered the growth of the students as observers, it was most impressive to see the maturation that had taken place completely without my purposeful teaching.

Yes, I am dissatisfied, but only in how little time remains to get ready for this coming year’s work. I already have ideas about how to improve the instruction.

Teacher idea: 2009-2010 planning

1. Do the taping every other Circle; we will analyze and evaluate comments and inter- action as part of our debriefings.

2. Include more nonfiction for “real life” reading that matters so very much in our lives. Check out Kelly Gallagher’s suggestion of using The Week as a source.

3. Encourage classes to bring in their ideas for deep readings about issues they deem “worthy of dialogue.” Last year a student brought in an article from a teen magazine about students choosing to segregate their proms in a Georgia high school.

4. Continue to post blogs as part of homework deep reading reflections. 5. Create a podcast of a Circle!

References

Angelous, Maya. “Still I Rise.” http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15623 Alexander, Elizabeth. “Praise Song for the Day.”

http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/20545

Coffin, Robert P. Tristram. “Crystal Moment.” Taken from Voices in literature, language and composition: A. Massachusetts: Ginn and Company, 1972.